Written by Administrator-GL
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Monday, 30 March 2009 |
Title: Scours - Salmonellosis
This disease effects 3 age groups: 1 week old babies, kids at 2-8 weeks old and adults.
Prognosis can be from grave to guarded in order of age group, adults having the best prognosis. Young baby kids will have a black tarry sometimes stringy and blood streaked diarrhea. Newborns may die in the first 36 hours of life with little or no signs (there may be signs of depression). Occasionally gaseous stomach or pain in the gut or diarrhea may be seen. In older kids,
the onset of depression and anorexia is sudden, followed by a profuse,
watery foul smelling yellow to greenish-brown diarrhea. Fever as high
as 107 may be present. Affected kids quickly get severely dehydrated,
weak and go recumbant. Some may die within 8
hours of onset of diarrhea , most die within 24-48 hours. Fever usually
subsides after 24 hours and becomes sub-normal as the baby becomes
shocky begins to fail.
Adult form is more sporadic, with less chance of morbidity. Adults may get Acute or Chronic disease. Acute:Adult
goats become acutely depressed, anorexic and febrile developing a very
watery, foul smelling greyish, or yellow green-brown diarrhea. Rapid
dehydration and weakness develop and death can occur within 24-48
hours. The chronic form of the adult disease, has similar
but milder symptoms. Recovery with recurrent diarrhea can bring the
goat down slowly eventually causing anemia and emaciation.
For treatment, other causes of scours need to be ruled out first. Treatment should consist of rehydrating
and correcting electrolyte imbalance, paying attention to potassium ..
sodium bicarbonate and potassium can be supplemented to the electrolyte
solution. Supplemental glucose is also very helpful. Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs can be used (Banamine) for treatment of shock
and alleviate pain. Water soluble sulfonamides and tetracyclines are
most useful. Isolate affected goats and keep warm. This disease can be
transmitted to humans, use caution and gloves when treating and wash
hands after treatment and contact. ©2006 All Rights Reserved
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